Drilling 2 3/8" holes in 8" wood posts...[[ ??? ]]]

[JerryK]

I want to make a couple short sections of fence [ 25 to 45 feet ] with 8" treated posts and running a 2" pipe thru them. I have 2 3/8" [ 2" rigid conduit hole saw ] that I could use, but it only will go about 1 1/2" deep before you would have to clean it out... then try again. Which would be a pain. I can get a 2 3/8" Forstner bit on Amazon fairly cheap.. and use that with a guide form to keep it from wobbling while I started it into the post. But was wondering if anyone had done this before and come up with some better way to drill something that big. Thanks...!!

 

[downsizingnow48]

Milwaukee self feed bit in Milwaukee hole hawg drill. Other companies make good equivalent bits.

 

[pohorsky]

Are the posts currently in the ground? If not, maybe using a drill press. You might also think about using an auger bit. Don't know if they make them that big, but that is what we used for drilling holes in logs and stumps.

 

[JerryK]

I plan on putting the posts in, then drilling the holes. I have a big 1/2" Milwaukee electric drill, powerful enough to do real damage to you if it catches. Don't use it much less I have to. It turns slow, but you have to be awake and well coordinated when you try to use it.....

 

[kcflhrc]

Self Feed Bit is what you need

 

[gary49]

If you are talking about 2" nominal pipe, the standard bit size is 2 9/16". Guess you are drilling 5 or 6 feet of post. Hard to drill end grain of wood and really hard to keep it straight going that far. I wouldn't drill, would rip the posts in half, saw a slot in each half and glue them back together with resorcinol glue. That would be lots easier, would work just as well, and you probably already have all the tools you would need. I have the self feed bit, have a Milwaukee Super Hole Hawg, have maybe enough extensions, have maybe a man year or more of experience drilling big holes in wood, and I wouldn't use the drill for this job.

 

[JerryK]

If you are talking about 2" nominal pipe, the standard bit size is 2 9/16". Guess you are drilling 5 or 6 feet of post. Hard to drill end grain of wood and really hard to keep it straight going that far. I wouldn't drill, would rip the posts in half, saw a slot in each half and glue them back together with resorcinol glue. That would be lots easier, would work just as well, and you probably already have all the tools you would need. I have the self feed bit, have a Milwaukee Super Hole Hawg, have maybe enough extensions, have maybe a man year or more of experience drilling big holes in wood, and I wouldn't use the drill for this job.

Sorry, I did not explain it clearly. Going to dig holes about 7' apart and install about 8" treated round posts. Snap a line about 42" up [ still up in the air on this height ], then drill the holes. Going to run 2" pipe at a height to keep horses/ATV's out around my new gate area. So the holes will be not be lengthwise in the post, but cross grain. I have quite a bit of 21' long sections of 1 1/4" galvanized drop pipe I pulled out of an old well, and I am thinking of maybe inserting this in 2" PVC to make it look better thru the years. Still in the planing stages... trying to figure out how I can do it stage... [ not quite in the buying stuff yet ].

Here is a couple pictures of the gate area, a new access road I put in for future logging/etc. trucks. The gate was overkill, but got them at the Amish store north of Mio Michigan for a lot less than a cheap gate at Tractor Supply. I still need to fill in the gate area later on when my dirt guy gets the time... It's mostly woods area, so just want something that will take a little abuse but look substantial enough to deter people wandering in my nice trail system.

 

[gary49]

Ok, got it. Get a 2 9/16" self feed bit or something like it, an appropriate extension and some kind of robust 1/2" drill. Milwaukee right angle drill, Hole Hawg, or Super Hawg will give you the leverage you need to handle the torque necessary to drill that big a hole. Be careful these machines can hurt you if the bit binds. Actually the biggest one, the Super Hawg, has a clutch so it is the safest one. You will need to back the bit out every couple of inches since the bit does not have an auger to clear chips. There are other brands as well that will do the job. Suggest using PVC electrical conduit for the post bushings rather than plumbing pipe, as it is sunlight resistant. The bushing will slide easily in the hole, you may want to secure it in the posts with a screw or some kind of adhesive.

 

[JerryK]

I just ordered a Lenox 2 1/2" thin nerf hole saw and a ejecting arbor from Ebay. I had a couple hole saws for 2" pipe [ being an old has been retarded electrician I got " stuff " ], but never saw an ejecting arbor before. After MANY YEARS of cussin' and cleaning out the plugs. Anywhilst, the arbor will fit all my old Milwaukee hole saws... so, maybe I will get some use out of it. Plus, it is longer than a normal arbor, so maybe it will reach mostly thru the 8" post. With using a hole saw, I can line up and drill a good centered 1/4" pilot hole before I start digging wood with the hole saw. AND, with the pilot, I can drill from both directions. Thanks for all the info... maybe later in the month I will start accumulating posts and digging holes. Thanks again, Jerry

 

[grsthegreat]

a forstner bit will work, if they make them that large. i know wood furniture people use them all the time